


The Hope Saga Book 1: The journey Begins

by HOPE_qwir_reg



Series: The Hope Saga [1]
Category: Doctor Who (2005), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Crossover, F/M, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I've never tagged before, Soulmates, but ill tag as i go, were going for a ride, you cant stop me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:14:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28263735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HOPE_qwir_reg/pseuds/HOPE_qwir_reg
Summary: The kings' line would end, a race left to ruin under a rotten king made of stone. When the final battle of Middle Earth came, none were left. The gods searched for an answer, to save whoever they could. Hope was needed to change the fate of not just men, but of them all.The blue box was his keeper, the last of his kind.  She saw the toll taken, the weight of his millennia of lives, and decided it was enough. Another was needed, someone to calm the oncoming storm, to try. She found hope.The six beings used to end half a Verse didn't appreciate being manipulated for a mad titans gain. They searched for another to give a chance, just one to right what destruction had been wrought. To change it. One alone in another Verse answered, and gave hope.Fate yanked at the tethers of the Verses, the darkness answered.  Higher beings of three Verses saw hopelessness and destruction caused in the wake of madmen and titans and a fake god. Each decided help was needed, influence by one who knew their future but never lived it, to change what could be. A stone found one who would help, hope was coming, but would it work?[I've posted on ff.net under the same name] [no reposts please]
Series: The Hope Saga [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2070546
Kudos: 1





	The Hope Saga Book 1: The journey Begins

**Author's Note:**

> Notes:
> 
> I'm only going to say this now for the whole work:
> 
> I claim the rights to my OC and any future OC in this story as well as the plot of it. Obviously, the characters that you recognise belong to their rightful owners, as much as we would all love them to be ours. Again the plots of the movies, shows and books belong to the rightful owners.
> 
> Later on, languages will be marked here and any notes for the chapter. This spans three fandoms so it's going to gt interesting! But I'd like to say thank you for choosing to read this, and I hope you enjoy!
> 
> QR xx

Prologue 1: Fury Gets a Surprise 

When Thanos snapped, other universes felt it. The unbalance, although most didn't know why. The unnatural ending of half of that entire universe rippled across the lines tethering the Verses together, shaking the very foundations of how things are **made**.

There were things out in that darkness that did understand, did feel it and were not happy with who caused it. They decided to do something about it. This is what happened.

* * *

Chucking his keys in a bowl, then coat and blazer over the sofa of the safe house, Nick headed to his room. Raising a hand in greeting to Phil in the kitchen, flipping burgers. After no rest for 38 hours and a very, very long day, all Nick wanted was a nice bath, maybe a drink and then sleep. Lots of sleep. Definitely.

The pink robe with polka dots was thrown on and he walked to the bathroom adjusting the matching shower cap, shoulders heavy and a tired expression. Flicking the taps on and tipping a bottle in the rising water, the bathroom started to smell of lavender as bubbles rose from the bathwater.

Some tension leaving his body, Nick turned and inspected the new stitches above his brow in the mirror over the sink. Grimacing at how close they were to his eye. No lasting damage, but it was close. This time. He was sure there'd be a next. There always was. He slowly peeled the plaster off to change it. Cleaning with alcohol and wincing every other dab. Scowling, he laid the next plaster and pulled down the shower cap to cover it.

Nick started to brush his teeth when he was thrown into the sink, reopening the stitches as his head bounced of the mirror, light flooding his eyes. Training kicked in. He whipped around to assess the cause of the blast, thinking a bomb or a break-in, but it wasn't. There in his bath, was a young woman, passed out. Probably no older than 17 or 18 if he had to guess. The door crashed wide, Phil had kicked it open, brandishing a pistol and a spatula.

They both paused.

There was blood, a lot of it. It could have been the still rising bath water making it look worse than it was but, it looked like it was coming from her chest. A strange rock with a fading glow was wedged in the young woman an inch below the hollow of her throat. Her top had a singed hole around it.

Phil apprehensively turned the taps off. Reaching a hand out to her throat, checking her pulse, he noted the odd rhythm, but nodded at Nick, she was alive. He gently shook the young woman in an attempt to wake her.

There was a huge gasp as the young woman sat up, sloshing the bathwater over the sides. She just sat there breathing heavy.

"Miss, who the fuck are you?" Fury had moved closer.

"Wh-What?"

Phil hid his pistol behind his back, "He asked, who are you miss?"

"Uh-What? Where am I?" she responded with barely a mutter. Then looked up, locking eyes with Fury, "Holy SHIT! Director Fury?" Nick noted the English accent.

"I-What? Director?" Nick glanced at Phil, conforming he was just as confused.

"Miss, who are you?" Phil tried again.

She looked over to him this time, "Coulson? You have hair! What the Fuck?"

More confused now Fury attempted, "Alright, let's try this, what's your name? How do you know us?"

"Well, that's easy, your both in the movies and cartoons and shit, but I must be dreaming, 'cos you two are definitely not real, as much as everyone wants you to be. God, this dreams so real-" She said like it was obvious poking Phil in the cheek. "-and because this is a dream, I don't have to tell you my name, you already know it."

Coming to the realisation she wasn't going anywhere fast as she continued to poke Phil, Nick crouched in front of her, face like stone, "I can assure you miss, we're very real. What's your name? Why are you in my tub? Guessing from your accent I'm presuming you're not from around here."

As is she hadn't realised before, the young woman really looked at Fury. Seeing Nicholas Joseph Fury Jr in a pink polka dot bathrobe and matching cap. She started cackling, "Oh my- I- God, I wish I had a camera- A* to my brain for coming up with this- "came out in between the gasps as she full-body laughed, causing the water to flood the bathroom floor.

Phil muttered to Nick next to him, "This is real right? She really has no idea?"

"Miss, this is real, very real. I'm going to have to ask you to exit the bathtub."

"Okay, okay, Mister-pirate-spy, and its Hope, by the way, although you already know that. So I don't know why you're asking. Astute observation of the accent, I'm British-duh, shouldn't you know that too?" the young woman- Hope, Nick corrected himself, moved chuckling, but paused, looking back at him. "Wait-you have two eyes? Why do you have two eyes?" she sobered.

"Two eyes? Of course, he has two eyes. Mis- Hope, can you just answer the questions? How did you get here?"

"Uh- sure Agent-Agent" not breaking eye contact with Nick she grabbed the sides of the tub, hoisting herself up, but collapsed back into it, "Wha-ok that's not normal? What's wrong with me?" she looked down, finally noticing the blood, which was slowly turning the water and bubbles red. "Why's their blood? Who's bleeding?"

Perplexed, Phil said, "You are, Hope".

"I-what? Me? I don't-"she glanced down again, pulling her slightly singed top away from her chest. Raising a hand up she brushed the rock in her chest. "OW-What is that? FUCK- OW, it hurts!" Hope started to shake as if the pain and the situation were finally catching up with her. Looking at Nick and Phil with terror, her voice filled with pain, "This is real, like this is really real, isn't it? It wouldn't hurt so much if it was a dream. Right?"

Slowly they both nodded, "I take it you don't know how you got here? If you thought this wasn't real. You have no idea what's happening?"

Hope nodded at Phil, eyes watering, "I don't- I don't know what's going on."

"That's ok, we can help, you just have to tell us everything you can."

"Phil- "

"No Nick, she's in pain, she obviously doesn't know what's going on. We need to help her." Fury would later put it to the shity day and lack of sleep but, he rolled with it. "Fine, let get her out of the tub, clean her up, and get some dry clothes." Standing up, he grabbed his towel as Phil scooped Hope out of the tub. Wrapping the towel around her, they walked back towards the living room. "I'll get the medkit" Nick said resigned.

Phil deposited her onto the old, worn sofa, making to move away, but Hope clung to him like a lifeline. "Hope, could you, ah- let go? I need to find you something dry."

She shifted her gaze at him and unclasped her tight fists, letting him go, "Sorry, didn't even realise I did that."

"That's alright, do you know where you are?"

"No, although I'm guessing this is a safe-house? This is a safe-house right?"

"It is- "

"Phil!"

"Shh- Ok Nicks gonna ask a few questions while I patch you up alright?"

"Yea, go for it Nicky." She seemed to have calmed, if it wasn't for the constant flinches of pain as she moved. Handing the medkit to Phil who opened it and trawled through it eying the rock in Hope's chest, and the re-opened stitches on Nick's forehead.

Nick sat on the coffee table in front of Hope. "Let's start easy, your names Hope?" she nodded flinching at Phil, who was dabbing a soaked cotton ball around the clear-white rock, "Ok, where you from Hope?"

"London, well actually I've moved around a lot, but the last one was London." Hope shrugged then grimaced at the motion. Gesturing for Phil to start wrapping the wound, Nick asked, "How old are you? What's the last thing you remember?"

"Uh, I'm 23 and- "

"Bullshit!" Phill cried.

Nick eyed him for the outburst, although he had to agree, she didn't look it. "You want us to believe your 23? You look 17."

"I-what? 17? Definitely not! I'm 23! I was born in '97 I just had my birthday last week-".

Nick cut her off, "You can't have been, it's 1975. February 20th, 1975 to be exact."

Hope sat there mouth hung open, in shock.

+++

In the wee hours of the morning a lot later with the sun starting to warm the sky, the trio sat around the small kitchen table. Hope now in dry clothes and mugs of coffee in hand all round. Bandages covering her chest. Nick sporting a new bandage too.

Nick started with narrowed eyes, "OK let me get this right, your 23, but it's 1975, 22 years before you are meant to be born in 1997 but you look 17. You come from another universe where we-" gesturing to himself and Phil "-are characters in movies and cartoons and comics, that's how you know all about us. It's all fictional, not real. We fight aliens and save the world like it's a day-to-day thing."

A nod.

"You know about SHIELD, you know a lot about things you should be able to know. Like how I can't stand sandwiches cut diagonally, the exact original Captain America Cards in Phil's locker at Headquarters, and that Director Carter lied on her enlistment form about her age. You think this stone in your chest is what's brought you here. But you don't know how you got it or how you got here. You don't want us to report anything that has happened?"

Again Hope nodded.

"You do realise this is barely believable right?"

Hunched over her mug, Hope shrugged with a wince, "I understand how unbelievable this all is, I can't really get my head around it either. Barely believing this myself, but it's the only explanation I have for what's happened. My world has no magic, no technology advanced enough for traveling between universes. I mean, we can barely do space travel. The only thing that's different is this thing now in my chest. Like, the only answer is the one that's left, no matter how improbable. I mean yea, there's stories of this kinda thing happening, but that's what they are, stories-"

She was interrupted by a knock at the door. One knock followed by two, then one, then two again.

Nick and Phil looked at each other, eyebrows raised. Phil reached for a gun on the kitchen counter gesturing for Hope to duck below the table where she couldn't be seen. Nick walked towards the door, picking up a pistol as he went. You could never be too careful.

Nick cracked the door, pistol hidden behind his back. There stood a man holding a small tin trunk. His features obscured by a large black trench coat, hat pulled low and a scarf wrapped high on his face. "Wonderful weather we're having this morning isn't it?"

"Yes, but I always carry an umbrella." A light British voice replied. Relaxing, Nick moved back and opened the door further. Letting the figure walk in. "Director, we weren't expecting you."

"No, I can't imagine you were." The he, who was actually a she, laid the box she was carrying on the kitchen table. Taking of her disguise, Director Margaret 'Peggy' Carter looked around the room till she spotted Hope, peeking out from under the table. Who gave a small wave.

"God Hope, you really weren't joking, you do look young." She said quizzically, taking the fourth and last free seat at the table.

Phil had lowered his gun, "You know her?"

"Strangely enough I do. Hope, do sit down."

The men shook their heads in disbelief.

"Well, you two now have clearance to learn of a lot more things." She turned to Hope, "The last time I saw you, you gave me this box and told me to come here on this date and this time with it." She held up a letter in Hope's writing, "You said it would explain everything. I didn't know what you meant then, but seeing you like this, I think I do now."

She pointed to the box on the table, it looked to be a metal trunk from world war two. There were dents and burnt patches nicking at the green paint, a thick padlock sat at its front. The box was no bigger than a dinner plate, but seemed to have some weight to it, given how Peggy had been carrying it.

"I was instructed that you should read this letter before you open the box." Peggy handed Hope a letter with a wax seal. Nick, Phil and Hope looked on with nervous confusion. Tentatively Hope reached for it, breaking the seal with a nod from Peggy. She read out, eyebrows raising higher on her forehead as she went.

_Dear younger self,_

_This has to be the weirdest thing I've done yet. Writing a letter to my younger self, it's saying a lot that this is out of the norm because I've done some bizarre shit so far. You're going to have to burn this once you've read it, so read it a few times, give it to Pegs to read too. I can't say everything that's going to happen, you'll just have to live through all that because you can't change it._

_But here's a heads up._

_It's going to sound fucking wild but its all true. All of it. The Marvel Universe as we knew from our world, it's real. There's a few things that aren't right or might throw you a bit, but that's not all of it. Basically, the rock that's currently in your chest, well there's no easy way to say this but, it's changed you. And I mean physically. You'll learn later how much and forewarning ~~it was a fucking trip~~ (Had been scribbled out, but she could still read it) let's just say it was not what I expected. Like the age thing? Being 23? Then 17? Yea, I think it's because of the stone. You'll see what I mean soon. _

_I have to say this now, trying to change what happened in these stories may work in the short term but fate seriously has it out for us, she bites back with a vengeance. You could change a small thing but it could seriously change what happens later. Don't do it. As much as you want to. But I suppose if I'm having to write that, it might already have happened. ~~stupid timeline shit~~ (Again it was crossed out)_

_In the trunk you'll find four notebooks, this is to write everything down. You need to write everything your nerdy heart remembers about this world. You'll need it, rely on it. This book is now your Bible. Any dates/ places/ people/ EVERYTHING. Write it all down. This world is tough, you need to be tougher. Get the three sitting at that table to teach you everything they know. And then some. Your gonna need it._

_Don’t read the next bit out, those three aren’t ready for it…_

She paused. Looking up at the faces around her. Opposite her, Peggy looked thoughtful, her mind already coming up with plans and how to enact them. Phil on her left, had been listening quietly, arms crossed and leant back, taking in everything he could. Nick on her right leant forward on the table, assessing Phil and Peggy, and her too. He gestured for her to continue. She read on in silence.

_...We know what's going to happen in this Verse, who causes it. We can't change it because for you in 1975, its already started. He is coming, We can't let it happen. All those people, like that? Nope. Not gonna happen. So what I'm trying to say is, don't change anything till then. It might just make him come sooner, fuck everything up, ya know? Then where would we be? He could turn up sooner than this world is ready for. So don't tempt it. We know what's going to happen so we know how to prevent it._

_I don't know if I should say this now, so early, but younger self, here's a shock this is not the only Verse you'll go too. There's two others, well, I suppose you'll find out soon enough. I could only get copies of one other Verse, the other one's not out yet, it's too early in this timeline. But try to colour code that shit in the notes. I just gets confusing after a while, trust me. _

_Good luck, your gonna need it!_

_Love, Older Self Xx_

_P.S. Also in the trunk theirs documents of birth and all the good stuff, yay, now you're born again._

Hope finished reading. She- thoughts were bouncing around her head when Peggy said, "Hope, there's something on the back"

Hope turned the letter over and the same scrawl she would recognise anywhere said,

_P.P.S. They have soulmates here._

Hope looked up, "Of course they fucking do! Do you really have soulmates here?"

"Yes of course we do," Phil said confused "I take it you didn't where you came from?"

"God, no. I told you we had no magic. How could we?"

"Huh- well they don't come in till after your 18, and they only appear where and when the other touches you. And usually, people only have one, but there are those with more."

"Wait, so if you got slapped in the face when you first met them, it would be on your face? Like a tattoo?" Hope's genuine curiosity threw Nick, but he answered for Phil, "Yes, although you think weird."

Peggy handed a key to Hope to unlock the trunk, who muttered a thanks as she unlocked it and passed the letter back for her to read. Inside were indeed four notebooks. The first a hot-rod red, the second a deep forest green-grey, the third a darker blue that looked familiar, the final one was a plain black. Flicking through them they were all blank. Although hope noted in shock, they seemed to be bigger on the inside. There was a letter with Peggy's name on it, so she handed it over, who started to read it too.

There were the birth documents, a one Hope Barnes born on 21st June 1975. The parents' names were blank, but underneath was a manila folder. In it were war bonds from the second world war and documents for banks in New York.

"What is all this?" Phil was looking in the box, but Nick was watching Peggy. Who had finished her letters and was rereading with a shocked expression?

"It seems- It seems like one of you is about to become a father." she mused.

"What?"- "Excuse me?"-"No!" they said at the same time.

"While Hope is 23 here, but she appears too young, she looks about 17. The birth certificate is dated this year, in about a month actually. For records and appearance sake she needs a parent, school, a house that kind of thing. My Hope, the one in the letter, she said one of you do it. That you train her, teach her everything she knew when I first met her. One of you will adopt her, to maintain the timelines apparently." Peggy looked up from the letter, observing the stunned faces at the table.

"That can't be right? I'm an adult! I don't need a father. Put me in a safe house and I'm good."

"Hope, it may work that way where you're from, but it's 1975, things are a little different."

"Backwards more like."

"I can understand your frustration, you were never one to play up to stereotypes." Peggy reached out taking her hand in comfort "But you must understand, this letter says you age slowly. That you need someone to train you, teach you how to defend yourself, essentially become an agent. The best agent."

"How can we do this? We're not that high in command! We can't take this kind of responsibility!" Nick was starting to come back to his own now the surprise had passed, arguing his point.

“You’re the best I have, you could do it-”

“No he can’t!”

Phil just sat there, listening and watching, thinking over the situation as Hope and Nick argued back and forth, the Director cutting in when she could. He had to say, although they looked nothing alike, Hope and Nick were the same, two peas in a pod the same. They took no bullshit and walked a thin line with authority, if the arguing was anything to go by. Hope was logical, at least he seemed to think so, coming to a conclusion about her appearance, whilst improbable, seemed likely.

He could see it. Nick taking on this girl as his daughter. So he decided and came up with a plan, cutting in loudly, "Lets rock, paper, scissors it."

He got three incredulous looks back.

"Are you mad?" Hope spluttered.

"Nope. Just thought about it. You need somewhere to go, the only people that knows of your appearance are here, at this table. So it's got to be one of us, the Director can't take you on, she's got too much on her plate being Director and all, sorry ma'am" he looked sheepishly at Peggy. "So it has to be one of us" me motioned between himself and Nick.

It must have been the lack of sleep for 45 hours and the Director basically ordering this to happen, but Nick nodded. Holding out his fist on his palm.

Funny thing was Phil knew Nick, and knew him well. He knew him so well in fact that as they went to display one of the three hand-gestures, he knew exactly which one Nick would use. With a "one, two three-" Hopes fate was sealed.

* * *

I was bundled up in the passenger seat of the cruiser Fury was driving. I looked at the birth certificate and the adoption papers in my hands, my name was written out in permanent ink. On the Adoption Certificate, under the paternal side was Major Nicholas Joseph Fury Jr. I grinned, Fury very reluctantly had signed the document. Then subsequently downed a glass of bourbon he had magicked from somewhere.

I looked at the other side where the maternal name was written, Miss Phillipa Jackie Coulson was written in flowing letters, my grin widened. They both ended up with me, despite Fury losing to Coulson at rock, paper, scissors, Peggy thought it only fair that they both look after me. Something about duel responsibility and more the better. Half the bottle had been drunk by the time the three agents had ironed out details of how to deal with the situation I had placed us all in.

The conclusion was that Fury would adopt me, his 'God-daughter', the daughter of his long-lost friend that had died. Coulson would be the other 'godparent', helping from the sidelines. They detailed the how's and the when's, making lists of documents needed, somewhere to sleep, eat, and live. The extensive training that I had to complete. To everyone else Fury was on deep-cover assignment for over a year, not to be contacted and would resurface when it was over. But really, he'd be training me enough in a year that he could split time with Phil and Peggy.

Speaking of training, it was decided I'd start like any other cadet. With boot-camp. I was dreading it, all that running, yuck. Fury would take it first, do the drills, the combat training, all the basics. And when he decided I was good enough, then the real spy work began. Now that, I was looking forward too. I would learn espionage from Fury, small firearms, the covert side of the work they all did. Phil was to teach me the ways of the land, what would happen if no extraction came, getting from A to B by any means, hiding in the shadows, all that jazz. Now, Peggy, she was to teach me to work with whatever I had on hand, working with being underestimated and using it to my advantage.

I watched slumped in my seat, as Fury turned onto a smaller road of the main highway, we'd been driving for hours up-state, apparently, we had been in Washington D.C., that's definitely not London. I kinda understood now how Dorothy felt.

I still couldn't wrap my head around what had happened. I don't remember what happened to get me here. I remember watching TV the night before, then passing out in bed, then nothing. Just, nothing. I must have gotten up, done things, because the clothes stained with my blood, that had a hole around the new rock in my chest, which still hurt, they definitely weren't my pyjamas. Boots, jeans and a baseball-top? I must have gone to do something before just appearing here. It was frustratingly maddening.

I had also come to the conclusion that, I wasn't going home anytime soon. I mean, in the TV shows and books, people that got transported somewhere new never went home right? So I doubt it would happen to me now.

Home.

It wasn't much, to be honest, but that's what it was, home. Even the shity heating system and the unreliable hot water. It was still my home, my one bed apartment on the riverside, it cost an arm and a leg, but it was worth it. Space to myself, no nosey room-mates, just me, myself, and I. I'd worked hard for it, worked up the ladder to a good job that paid decently for London prices.

I wondered who would miss me. Definitely not my parents the rich fucks, I never got on with them. Being shipped off early to a school in the north so they could get me out their lives. As soon as I was 18, and could legally live on my own, I was kicked out the four-story townhouse and left to fend for myself on the streets of London, with whatever I could grab on the way out. I was glad the school year had finished, done my exams and all but not the nicest way to start adulthood. My older brother wasn't in the country, he was fighting overseas and didn't know. I found myself with whatever was in my purse, my phone and the clothes on my back. The two friends I actually had were too far away to be any help. I got three jobs but ended up at a woman's shelter for a week before I saving enough for a shity hotel room and a phone charger.

I managed to send a message to my brother telling him what had happened. I woke up at 5am two weeks later to banging on the door, and my brother on the other side of it. He helped a lot actually. The same thing happened to him, although he enlisted the same day. He set me up on his couch and as soon as I had saved enough money from my three jobs, I moved out and got my own place. Shity though it was, I didn't want to burden him, not when he left for overseas so often. So I suppose he would miss me, if he was still here. Yea, definitely. God, I still miss him. That was before I got better jobs and could afford better places to live.

I was brought out of the dark thoughts when Fury took another turn, this time on to a dirt road which came up to a large farmhouse, all picturesque like, surrounded by trees and a forest behind it. It had the typical wrap-around porch, shutter windows. God- it even had the picket fence. I sighed and looked at my new home. It definitely needed some work. I shifted, turning to the designated driver, "Seems Peggy really went all out with this? Huh, Fury?"

"Seems so." he drove around the side of the building and into an outhouse with the barn doors wide open.

Opening the car door I saw the barn we'd parked in had basic gym equipment in it and a short gun range off to the side behind a clear wall. There were still things in shipping wrappers doted around the barn. Glancing around I noted that in the far corner were metal doors in the floor. Huh. If this was a spy film, that definitely be a bunker, and it would definitely be off-limits. It set my nerdy little heart off in excitement.

Behind me Fury had gotten out and popped the boot of the car open, starting to lift some boxes out. Still gazing around I went to help lift some bags, "What is all this stuff?"

"The Director is correct in that you need training. You're an anomaly that needs to learn how to defend herself from those motherfuckers out there. Apparently, that's now my job." He huffed, walking though the barn doors towards the house.

I followed after him, bags under each arm, "You don't have to do it on your own though, Coulson's helping. Peggy too, and I'm sure you'll get frustrated with all this and call someone in to do it for you."

Fury looked almost offended by the idea, "I don't need to call in anyone. I can do this shit myself."

"Of course you can Nicky, I'm just wondering what's gonna happen."

He paused, turning to look at me, foot poised to climb the few stairs leading to the front door, "Nicky? No, no, no- no stupid names-"

"Why not? I can't keep calling you Fury."

"Yes, you damn well can. Everyone calls me Fury, you too."

"Yea, I don't think so. So suck it up buttercup!"

Nicky looked to the heavens for strength. Then got keys out of nowhere for the front door before opening it and walking in. "Alright, let's have a look around" he walked through the hallway opening doors as he went.

I dumped the bags at the bottom of the stairs opposite the front door. Going for a wonder myself. 

+++

I had looked around the house, finding it bigger than expected. More rooms upstairs, then we needed and acres of land wrapping around the house. The bags from the car that had everything I needed, I had gotten and put in a room at the front of the house on the 1st floor. It faced the valley we had driven up earlier and as the sun was just setting I decided the view was pretty nice in here.

"Hope!" Nicky's voice carried from the kitchen below. "Quit slacking! Get more boxes in!"

I sighed, but made my way out of my new room, down the stairs and back to the car to get some of the last boxes. These ones had Kitchen in Coulson's writing on the side, so I took them to Nicky.

"I think this is the last for the kitchen. Anything else I suppose we can just buy. Please tell me in all this, there's a coffee machine." I pleaded.

Nicky cracked a smile for the first time, "It was the first thing I unpacked."

"Oh, thank God!" I was sure neither of us wanted to deal with the other, pre-caffeine, in the mornings. "So, when's Phil coming round?"

Nick just looked tired but continued unpacking boxes for the kitchen, "Not for a while, he's got his own assignments. But the first thing were gonna do tomorrow is teach you how to drive."

I hadn't told him I didn't know how to drive, and just sat there confused.

"Don't look so shocked, I saw you watching me drive, trying to learn. That'll be the first lesson."

"Really? Not running or fighting? Learning to drive?"

"Of course, you always need an exit strategy. And I'll be damned if Phil wins at this too."

Of course, that was his logic. I didn't need to learn because I couldn't, but because I needed it for training. "Wait- did you two make bets on this?" I was shocked. Although not overly surprised thinking it over.

"Damn right we did. He thinks I'll call in before the years done" he laughed, "I've trained cadets, this'll be easy compared to that. Now go get the rest out the car. We've more unpacking to do." Fury did not in fact last a year.

+++

It was at the five-month mark when shit hit the fan.

+++

It was another hot day of the summer, just like the last few weeks of this new life. I woke up with Nicky banging on my door to run the assault course around the perimeter before breakfast. It still took a while, but I could feel my muscles getting stronger, leaner almost.

When I was done, panting and covered in sweat, Nicky had food on the table, a big mug of coffee on the side and a towel in hand. Looking at the stopwatch in his other hand. "You're getting better kid, but you need to work harder, you're not quick enough."

I sighed. That was the best it got in the morning. Half compliments and a stern face. I waved off his attempt at a morning greeting, which definitely needed work, and plonked down at the kitchen table. Wolfing down food as Nicky gave me the rundown for the day.

"Were gonna start at the range, work on your firearms, then practice hand-to-hand till lunch. We're gonna go over escaping your opponent when tied to a chair, because you're slower than grandma- god rest her soul- Then after lunch, your gonna do laps of the lake-"

I cut him off before he really got going "Nicky really? The chair? I hate that fucking chair! I can still get out of it! Don't get me started on the lake-"

"You agreed to this Hope, your gonna do what I motherfucking tell you to do. I'm not having you make a mistake that could cost you." His voice that cut me off was stern as he looked at her across the table nursing a coffee.

I went quiet, I'd learnt in the months I'd been in this Verse that when he pulled that card, I better shut up because he was serious. "Fine, let me get ready."

Fury started chuckling, "No, I think for your smart mouth well go to the lake now. Clothes and all."

"Shit." 

* * *

It was the third lap of the small lake in the trees behind the house that Hope noticed something was off. As she swam through the still water, fishes would swim up to her and would often swim with her. But she'd noticed in the last few minutes that they'd all swam away. The water was getting harder to swim in too. Almost like treacle, hot treacle.

She was coming up to Nick who sat at the beginning of the deck that jutted out into the lake meters away and shouted, "Nicky!"

"I'm not letting you off early!"

"But something's- I don't know, wrong!"

"You better be serious, what? What is?"

"I don't-"

She was cut off, her chest started to hurt as she bobbed where she stopped. The murky water around started to clear. Right where the healed scars were around the stone still in her chest, the pain flared. Hope started to panic.

"Nicky- I don't- the- the stone-!"

Nick had run up the deck towards her, "Kid, calm down-" he saw the water around her clear, but the rest of the water was still murky. Confused he looked at Hope, the stone under her top started to glow, white and bright.

"I can't- it fucking hurts!"

"Swim closer!" Nick didn't know what was happening. He hated not knowing and he was starting to worry about Hope.

"Nicky- I can't-"

Hope couldn't say anything further because the stone in her chest was glowing vibrantly now. A white-hot pain with it. She started screaming, half in panic and half in pain, swallowing lake water as her head bobbed under the surface.

Nick jumped in the water swimming towards her, "Kid!-"

He didn't get close enough. He was only a few feet away when it happened. Hope sunk below the surface, screaming and arms wide. She was glowing a bright clear white. A sudden blast sent Fury careening backwards in the water away from Hope.

When he broke the surface, Nick couldn't see Hope. In the water where she was, dust particles were glowing. Falling down to the bottom of the lake as they faded.

She was gone.

+++

Hope felt like she was being pulled apart and together at the same time. The falling sensation was what she remembered the most though, oddly enough. It felt like it was never-ending.

The burning in her chest made her scream. It was white-hot and alive.

Still, she fell.

+++

The fall did end of course.

It ended in an almighty splash, water-filled her lungs.

Darkness took Hope and she was thankful.

+++

Hope felt a presence, it felt like pure starlight. It reached out to her, pulling her back. Her lungs protested. Water spluttered up her lungs and out her mouth. Hope breathed deeply for the first time in what felt like eons. She was still weak, but she managed to flutter her eyes open.

A pale thin woman came into her vision. Blond hair cascaded around her, shining. The presence that had pulled her back was there in front of her.

Before she could smile or thank this woman, darkness claimed her.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> End Notes:
> 
> Although it's kinda long, oops, if you made it this far, thank you for reading!
> 
> I've had this idea floating in my brain for like a year now. I wrote bits of it down but, I didn't think much would come of it, ya know? But I finished my uni degree during the beginning of the Covid lockdown and decided to plot the whole thing. I know where my OC is going, pretty much her whole story arch and some of the other characters too, but its already turned into a beast in the plan.
> 
> I thought I'd see what others think? I don't know, if no one else reads this, that's cool. But it would be nice to see if anyone else would enjoy it too.
> 
> I'm going to upload when I can, but I'm on a ridiculously intense Masters course, but I want to do this and get it uploaded, so watch this space.
> 
> So thanks for reading!
> 
> QR xx


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